CISL Executive Summary
USD 425 and USD 433
By Rex Bollinger
January 30, 2008
January 15, 2008
To: Staff, Students, Parents and Patrons of USD 425 and USD 433
Re: Executive summary from the Center for Innovative School Leadership
The Center for Innovative School Leadership (CISL) was created by the Kansas State Legislature in 2004. The center conducts efficiency reviews of individual school districts, helping them realize greater efficiencies and identifying good practices that can be shared with other school districts. The goal is to identify administrative savings that can be gained through best protocols in school district leadership, human resources, facilities management, and teaching and learning. This will allow districts to put savings back into the classroom for a greater investment in our children. You can learn more about CISL at the following website: http://www.emporia.edu/cisl/index.htm
In the spring of 2007, both districts contracted with the Center for Innovative School Leadership to conduct an efficiency audit of both the Highland USD 425 and Midway USD 433 school districts. As part of this process all entities (staff, students, parents and patrons) were asked to fill out an online survey last spring. The administration and board clerks over the summer and early fall collected materials and data requested by CISL. In October, the CISL staff then spent an evening and the following day interviewing staff, parents, and the board of education and touring both school districts.
The Center for Innovative School Leadership compiled their specific recommendations in an executive summary which we have supplied through this link. The Midway USD 433 and Highland USD 425 boards of education have received this executive summary as well as a verbal report from a representative of CISL. It is important to note that these are recommendations at this point and neither board has taken specific action in regards to these recommendations nor discussed them between the two boards of education in relation to our contracting agreement.
Please feel free to contact myself at the district office in Highland at 785-442-3280 or
Midway at 785-359-6525 if you have any specific questions that need to be addressed.
Rex E. Bollinger
(The full report can be viewed in PDF format.)
